


My Life, My Love

by tiabi



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-03
Updated: 2015-09-10
Packaged: 2018-04-18 19:06:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4717133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiabi/pseuds/tiabi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her daughter was her world, but she couldn't help but feel uncertain. Asami Sato had never planned to be anyone's mother. </p><p>However, even if Asami isn't sure, Korra knows that Asami is exactly where she needs to be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. My Life

Asami massages her temples as she continues to listen to the board members argue over their new line of Satomobiles. They want profit. She wants quality. Fortunately, there are still members with sense. She appreciates them.

In the midst of their bickering, Asami’s secretary, Jun, walks in. She motions to Asami; it must be important.

Clearing her throat loudly, Asami stands from her seat at the head of the table.

“Excuse me, gentlemen. I have an urgent meeting to attend to. We will finish this on Friday. I’ll have Jun contact you.”

She hears grumbling, but her voice leaves no room for argument as they file out of her office. She slumps into her chair and runs a hand over her face. A cup of steaming tea is placed in front of her, Jun giving her a sympathetic look.

“Can I just give you my job?” she asks, worn from all her meetings.

Jun smiles, “I’m not sure it’s worth it.”

Asami sits up straighter, sipping on her tea, her insides finally warmed. “So, what was the urgent matter?”

She can see Jun’s green eyes darken and narrow. “I received a call from Yasuko’s school. Something’s happened.”

Asami nearly chokes as she sets her cup down and rushes out of the door. Jun keeps pace with her until the elevator, explaining the situation, but all Asami can hear is the blood rushing in her ears.

“Asami! Asami!”

She turns around and sees Mako, a gloved hand grasping her shoulder firmly. His eyebrows are furrowed in concern.

“You nearly ran into traffic!”

Asami blinks as she stares into the busy street that divides her building and the downtown parking garage. Cars rush by her without any concern.

She gulps hard, trying to stop her throat from closing as her thoughts about her daughter race.

“I wasn’t paying—“

“It’s red!” Mako shouts, his worry manifesting itself as anger at this point.

Asami nearly slaps him, but instead chokes out a sob.

Ever since she found out she was pregnant, confident, brilliant, Asami Sato had a large shadow looming in the corners of her heart. Uncertainty. Doubt. Her daughter was her world, but she couldn't help but feel uncertain. Asami Sato had never planned to be anyone's mother.

Regret passes over Mako’s face as he rests his other hand against Asami’s cheek.

“What’s happening?”

“Yasuko’s school called and there’s something wrong and she’s hurt and in pain and crying. I have to get there as soon as possible.”

He nods firmly, grabbing her hand and leading her to his police cruiser he had parked nearby.

“I’ll get you there. Yasuko will be fine.” Mako promises.

 

When Mako drops her off, she spots Mako’s brother, a teacher at the school, at the front. The stocky man meets her eyes and abandons the front desk, walking towards her.

“She’s fine,” Bolin immediately says. His green eyes are sympathetic and honest, and for the first time since she heard the news, Asami can breathe. “I’ve been waiting for you. She’s in the nurse’s office right now.”

“I’m so sorry, Bolin. I was in a meeting and those old men couldn’t stop—“

“You’re fine, Asami!” He grasps her hand reassuringly. “She’s okay.”

Tears pricked her eyes as they finally rounded the corner to the nurse’s office.

“Another story! Another story!” she heard a familiar voice shout excitedly.

Her beautiful, perfect daughter lay in bed, smiling, her tiny wrist wrapped in bandages.

A woman had her back to Asami, laughing, “Of course!”

Bolin taps the door lightly to alert the duo to their presence.

“Yasuko, your mom’s here!”

“Mama!”

Whatever emotions she was attempting to hold back break through, tears spilling from her eyes as she rushes to embrace her daughter.

“Sweetie, I got here as soon as I could. Are you okay?” she whispers to her daughter.

She hears her daughter mumble an affirmative followed by a plea to be let go. Asami laughs, dabbing at the tears in her eyes.

“She’s a trooper,” Asami hears behind her.

She finally turns to look at the other teacher that had been waiting with her daughter. She’s gorgeous with cropped brown hair and healthy tanned skin. And blue eyes. The bluest eyes Asami has ever seen.

“Ms. Sato, this is Korra Massak. She volunteered to help us out for a few weeks since she’s running a soccer camp for all of the students.”

Asami shakes her hand, freeing her daughter from her embrace. “Thank you so much for looking after Yasuko. What happened?”

Korra grimaces briefly as she glances at Yasuko’s wrapped wrist. “A bad fall on the playground. It’s only a sprain and I did my best to wrap her wrist nice and tight, but a trip to the doctor’s wouldn’t hurt.”

“I really appreciate this, Korra.”

“Nah, it’s no problem. Like I said, she’s a trooper.”

“Yup!” Yasuko agrees. “No big deal right, Korra?”

Korra grins back. “No big deal.” she agrees.

Bolin reenters the room with some paperwork for Asami to sign. “After you sign this, Yasuko should be all good to go home.” he tells her. “You doing okay, Suko?”

Wavy black curls bounce in affirmation.

“Alright! You’re all set. We’ll see you real soon, Yasuko!” Bolin says cheerfully, patting the girl on the head as they walk out of the nurse’s office.

 

Asami treats Yasuko to her favorite seaweed noodles at Narook’s and mochi at Miss Laong’s bakery after a quick trip to the physician. The physician had complimented the wrap around Yasuko’s wrist, and Asami was even more grateful for Korra’s help.

As Yasuko bites down on another piece of mochi, she grins at her mother, her chin covered in powdered sugar dusted on the chewy rice balls from sticking.

She loves her daughter for the sweet tooth they both share.

 “I love you, Mama!”

Asami kneels down and looks her daughter in her amber eyes. “I love you too, darling.”

When they return home, Yao, her steward, helps Yasuko get ready for bed while Asami finishes preparing documents she’ll need for tomorrow.

Her eyes are tired; her heart is exhausted. She had never felt her heart break so deeply until she saw Yasuko hurt. It had happened several times – a bump on the head, scrapped knees, some fevers. It always hurt every time.

It always made her question whether she was fit to be a mother.

The ringing of her office phone breaks her reverie.

“Asami Sato speaking.”

“Ms. Sato? It’s Korra Massak from the daycare.”

“Korra?”

“I just wanted to check and make sure Yasuko was okay.”

Asami let out a sigh of relief. “Yes, she’s great. The doctor said you did a good job wrapping her sprain. She should be okay for daycare tomorrow.”

“That’s good to hear!” Korra says brightly. “Yasuko is very lucky to have a mother like you.”

Asami can’t help the words that tumble out of her mouth. “You think so?” she asks quietly.

There’s a pause, the small amount of static on the phone deafening.

“Yes, I do.”

A loud bark on Korra’s end interrupts the silence. She can hear Korra’s laugh so clearly and her heart feels lighter. “Even my dog agrees.”

In the corner of her eye, she spots Yasuko holding onto her Fire Ferrets blanket and picture book, standing in the door way.

“It’s bedtime, Mama!”

Asami laughs and says to Korra, “You heard the girl. It’s story time, so I have to go.”

“Well, I won’t keep you. Tell Yasuko we can’t wait to have her back at school. Have a good night, Ms. Sato.”

 “You too, Korra.”

 

 

 


	2. My Sunshine

When Asami lost her mother to a robbery gone wrong, she was only two years older than her daughter is now. She can remember crying and sitting in front of her mother’s casket during the funeral, but she can barely recall what her mother was like.

Yao always told her that watching her with Yasuko, it feels like he’s watching an old home movie. But Asami’s never been quite sure. She was pretty sure her mother didn’t get pregnant with her when she was 22.

Not that Asami would change anything. Yasuko is perfect.

She just doesn’t know how she could possibly deserve a child so perfect.

Every last minute meeting, every mother-daughter appearance cancelled, Yasuko had always taken things with grace.  Sure, her daughter had her tantrums, but where it mattered, Yasuko made Asami’s life easy. She’d heard horror stories during her pregnancy.

Today was the 5th of the month, her monthly visit to her father’s home where he was serving his house arrest.

She wraps her slender fingers around her daughter’s tiny hand as they walk up the steps of the porch. Since Yasuko was born, her visits to her father have been a little easier. Yasuko’s cheerful humming helps Asami stay in the present.

Yasuko breaks away from Asami to knock loudly on the simple oak door and ring the cheery doorbell. They hear a short sequence of muffled footsteps and the door opens slowly.

“My dears,” her father greets. His face looks worn and deeply wrinkled, but the contours have finally rounded out despite his time in prison. Yasuko tackles him at his knees, embracing them tightly.

Hiroshi bends down and picks up Yasuko in his arms. “Hello, my darling. How is your wrist?” He shoulders her weight on one arm and carefully holds her wrapped wrist.

“I’m okay, grandpa!” she kisses his weathered cheek and Hiroshi gives Yasuko a look of complete adoration that makes Asami’s heart ache.

There was so much lost time.

So many things were lost.

Hiroshi carries Yasuko to the quaint living room adjacent to the doorway where he has a chess set prepared and some snacks. Yasuko’s favorite movie, Wall-E, is playing in the background. Her father’s house arrest was finalized three years ago, and since then, Yasuko’s visits have been filled with snacks and movies and games and books.

Asami watches as her father teaches Yasuko chess, similar early strategies she learned when she was Yasuko’s age. It’s hard to imagine that this was the same man who arranged her doomed, loveless marriage.

Yasuko frowns in thought as she surveys the board, the game having gone on for over an hour, before finally tipping her king.

Hiroshi only smiles encouragingly, motioning for her to reset the board. Her amber eyes twinkle as she grins, eager to put her soldiers back in place. The corners of Asami’s mouth turn upward as she recalls the same play her father had used on her at age four to win.

Yasuko and her father play three more games and it’s finally time for dinner. Like most things during their visits, dinner is Yasuko’s favorite – ramen.

As she slurps down the soup, her belly fills with warmth. “This is really good, Dad.”

Her father looks at her surprised. However, his shock passes quickly as he smiles in response. “Thank you. I’ve been trying different recipes all week. How do you like it, Yasuko?”

“Ish gud!”

There’s ice cream for dessert and Yasuko finishes the night by falling asleep as Bill Nye the Science Guy plays in the background. Asami brushes back her daughter’s wavy hair as she reaches down for the remote.

Included in the house arrest, Hiroshi Sato could not have any overnight visitors.

“How are you?”

Asami tenses, as she turns to her father, watching in the doorway. She looks at him, and he’s never looked older. Regretful. However, she recognizes this look. She’s seen it in board rooms years ago, when she was still learning how to run a Fortune 500 company.

“I’m fine, Dad.” Asami follows her father into the kitchen where he has two steaming cups of tea set out. “You know, busy running a company, raising a daughter. Trying to create new Satomobile designs.”

Hiroshi takes a long sip of her tea, pausing a bit before asking, “How’s Iroh?”

Asami’s lips form a tight line. “Fine. He’ll be back onshore in time for Veteran’s Day, so he’s planning on visiting Yasuko then.”

“You’re much too kind,” he tells her. His voice is soft and not critical. He knows it’s her kindness that brings her and Yasuko here every month. “Will Yasuko be okay? If I remember correctly, this will be the first time she’s seen her father since the divorce.”

She nods. “Three years. I’m glad she doesn’t remember most of what happened.”

Asami wishes she didn’t remember. She had been cheated on, ridiculed, and abandoned. It was Yasuko and sheer strength of will that had pushed her forward. She’d protected her company and her daughter.

“She kind of remembers him. We have some pictures in her room at home.”

Hiroshi hums thoughtfully. “She’s a forgiving girl, just like her mother.” Her jade eyes meet her father’s.

“Shall we play a quick game of chess before I leave? I’m pretty sure I’ll beat you, Dad,” she smirks.

He grins. “I’ve been practicing all day. We’ll see.”

 

She adjusts Yasuko’s slumbering form in her arms. Her father sets down her bag by the door. He briefly takes Yasuko for a gentle embrace to give Asami time to organize herself.

“All set?” he asks.

Asami nods, taking Yasuko back into her arms. Luckily, the walk to the car is short; she’d hate to wake up her sleeping princess.

At the doorway, her father gives her a kiss on the cheek and places a kiss on Yasuko’s forehead. “I’ll see you next month?”

She shakes her head, glancing at the chessboard still visible in the kitchen. “We’ll see you next week, Dad.”

Even in the dim light of the hallway and the porch, she can see his eyes glistening. He nods again, places a final kiss on her cheek before closing the door behind her.

When she arrives home with Yasuko, she tucks her daughter in herself, singing the same lullaby her father would sing before bed.

“ _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don’t take my sunshine away._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope to edit this soon.   
> Also, sorry all the chapters are so short. School gives me an hour of free time to write most days. What little I can write, I'll be sure to post. 
> 
> I think "You are My Sunshine" is such an appropriate song for Hiroshi to sing to Asami after losing his wife. I feel like that's the only song he would have been willing to sing.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any comments or suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Still trying to figure out this whole writing thing. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
